…and back again. Hope you all had a good Christmas. Me, I got the most traditional Christmas gift of all – a crappy persistent cough. I didn’t even get to keep the receipt. Oh, well. Time to flex one’s fingers, pour out a cold drink and catch up on a few Jumbos.

Let’s start with Christmas Eve’s effort. A relatively straightforward one, this. A decent one, too, in the main, with a sprinkling of well-worked clues. Shame about the repeats, really. I can also imagine the Americanisms getting up some solvers’ noses.

You can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo nicked all the walnuts from your Christmas stocking then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. I’ll be back soon (well… soonish) with Boxing Day’s solution. Till then, stay safe and don’t get too sober out there, kids.

LP

Across clues

1. Exploits swimmer to get drink (9)

Answer: MILKSHAKE (i.e. “drink”). Solution is MILKS (i.e. “exploits” someone) followed by HAKE (i.e. “swimmer”).

6. Foundation of building at first unchanged (5)

Answer: BASIS (i.e. “foundation”). Solution is B (i.e. “building at first”, i.e. the first letter of “building”) followed by AS IS (i.e. “unchanged”).

9. Conductor from West, say, with brief tantrum (7)

Answer: MAESTRO (i.e. “conductor”). Solution is MAE (i.e. “West, say”. Other Maes are available) followed by STROP (i.e. “tantrum”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “brief”), like so: MAE-STRO.

13. Racket game for Australian native (5)

Answer: DINGO (i.e. “Australian native”, a wild dog). Solution is DIN (i.e. “racket” or noise) followed by GO (i.e. board “game”).

14. Street surrounded by vigour near large city (7)

Answer: BRISTOL (i.e. “city”). Solution is ST (a recognised abbreviation of “street”) placed in or “surrounded by” BRIO (i.e. “vigour”) and followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “large”), like so: BRI(ST)O-L.

15. Flat maybe wanting fish without a fridge ultimately (3,2,4)

Answer: OUT OF TUNE (i.e. “flat”). Solution is OUT OF TUNA (i.e. “wanting fish”) with the A removed (indicated by “without a”) and the remainder followed by E (i.e. “fridge ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “fridge”), like so: (OUT-OF-TUN)-E.

16. Intense questioning of PhD often (5,6)

Answer: THIRD DEGREE. Solution satisfies “intense questioning” and “PhD often”, there being other ways to earn a third degree.

17. Dessert with price oddly selected following prohibition of payment (8,3)

Answer: BANOFFEE PIE (i.e. “dessert”). Solution is PIE (i.e. “price oddly selected”, i.e. every other letter of PRICE) placed after or “following” BAN (i.e. “prohibition”), OF and FEE (i.e. “payment”), like so: BAN-OF-FEE-(PIE).

18. Everyone cries for permits (6)

Answer: ALLOWS (i.e. “permits”). Solution is ALL (i.e. “everyone”) followed by OWS! (i.e. “cries” of pain).

19. Biased person is identified without masque, finally (3-5)

Answer: ONE-SIDED (i.e. “biased”). Not 100% on the parsing here. I guess it depends on how you’d write the past tense of “ID”. Me, I’d probably avoid it altogether and find a more elegant expression. If there was a gun to my head, however, then I’d probably write it as “IDed”. Chambers, meanwhile, opts wisely to not get involved. Assuming the setter has contracted “IDed” to “ID’d”, I guess the solution is ONE’S ID’D (i.e. “person is identified”) wrapped around or placed “without” E (i.e. “masque, finally”, i.e. the last letter of “masque”), like so: ONE’S-ID(E)’D. What a dog’s dinner of a clue.

21. Entire skill of a diplomat found here? (6)

Answer: INTACT (i.e. “entire”). When written as IN TACT the solution also satisfies “skill of a diplomat found here”.

25. Some letters from fellow read aloud on ship (4,4)

Answer: JUNK MAIL (i.e. “some letters”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “read aloud”) of MALE (i.e. “fellow”) placed “on” or after JUNK (i.e. an Asian flat-bottomed “ship”).

26. Ports, say, protected from attack by dictator’s drones (9,5)

Answer: FORTIFIED WINES (i.e. “ports, say”). Solution is FORTIFIED (i.e. “protected”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “dictator’s”) of WHINES (i.e. “drones”).

28. Cutting cake initially, one clasped by boy (5)

Answer: SCION (i.e. plant “cutting”). Solution is C (i.e. “cake initially”, i.e. the first letter of “cake”) and I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) both placed in or “clasped by” SON (i.e. “boy”), like so: S(C-I)ON.

29. Fish I found in home (6)

Answer: PLAICE (i.e. “fish”). Solution is I placed or “found in” PLACE (i.e. “home”), like so: PLA(I)CE.

30. Cold place to store food – that’s a profound relief, reportedly (4,6)

Answer: DEEP FREEZE (i.e. “cold place to store food”). Solution is DEEP (i.e. “profound”) followed by a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of FRIEZE (i.e. “relief” in classical architecture).

33. Turbulent situations disturbed most realms (10)

Answer: MAELSTROMS (i.e. “turbulent situations”). “Disturbed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of MOST REALMS.

35. Lady, perhaps, eats a northern cheese (6)

Answer: PANEER (i.e. “cheese” – can’t say I’ve heard of it). Solution is PEER (i.e. “Lady, perhaps” – other nobs are available) wrapped around or “eating” A and N (a recognised abbreviation of “northern”), like so: P(A-N)EER.

36. Rock band do as I say, in part (5)

Answer: OASIS (i.e. “rock band” – blimey, my jibes about fogeyish Times setters seem to have struck a nerve. We’re in the rarefied air of mid-90s cultural references now!) “In part” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: D(O AS I S)AY.

38. Child’s punishment maybe includes working with unknown old vase? No chance! (3,2,4,5)

Answer: NOT ON YOUR NELLY (i.e. “no chance”). Solution is NO TELLY (i.e. “child’s punishment maybe” – wait, do kids even watch telly these days?) wrapped around or “including” ON (i.e. “working”), Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in solutions as “unknowns”), O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”) and URN (i.e. “vase”), like so: NO-T(ON-Y-O-URN)ELLY.

40. Stealthily ripped into poet (2,6)

Answer: ON TIPTOE (i.e. “stealthily”). “Ripped” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of INTO POET.

42. Naval explosive placed around a river (6)

Answer: MARINE (i.e. “naval”). Solution is MINE (i.e. “explosive”) “placed around” A and R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”), like so: M(A-R)INE.

43. Idle joke about money? (8)

Answer: LOLLYGAG (i.e. to “idle”). When written as LOLLY GAG the solution also playfully satisfies “joke about money”, LOLLY being a slang word for money.

44. Arranged to get going (3,3)

Answer: SET OUT. Solution satisfies “arranged” and “get going”.

47. Common period of time, that is, to grab nap (1,4,1,5)

Answer: A DIME A DOZEN (i.e. “common” over in the US). Solution is AD (i.e. “period of time”, short for Anno Domini) followed by I MEAN (i.e. “that is”) once wrapped around or “grabbing” DOZE (i.e. “nap”), like so: AD-(I-MEA(DOZE)N). I reckon as we become a more secular society we should do away with Anno Domini and switch to Anno Mundi, if only so I could wish you all a Happy New 13,703,145,956 (give or take 200,000,000 years). The Roman numerals timestamping the end of TV programmes would also be hilarious.

50. Calamity as the captor collapses (11)

Answer: CATASTROPHE (i.e. “calamity”). “Collapses” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of AS THE CAPTOR.

52. Court controversy with solar winds? (4,5)

Answer: SHOW TRIAL (i.e. “court controversy”, or “a trial at which the opportunity to expose the accused to public opprobrium is given priority over the impartial prosecution of justice” (Chambers)). “Winds” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of WITH SOLAR. A very recent repeat, making this a much easier get. This, 22d and a few other things suggest to me that the office GridFill 4000™ had a hand in producing this week’s grid. Ho hum.

53. Sucker’s anger after beginning to value a politician (7)

Answer: VAMPIRE (i.e. “sucker”). Solution is IRE (i.e. “anger”) placed “after” V (i.e. “beginning [letter] to value”), A and MP (i.e. “politician” or Member of Parliament), like so: V-A-MP-(IRE).

54. Family member returning home with teacher regularly (5)

Answer: NIECE (i.e. “family member”). Solution is IN (i.e. at “home”) reversed (indicated by “returning”) and followed by ECE (i.e. “teacher regularly”, i.e. every other letter of TEACHER), like so: NI-ECE.

55. Island we hear was windy: shade provided (3-4)

Answer: SKY-BLUE (i.e. colour or “shade”). Solution comprises homophones (indicated by “we hear”) of SKYE (i.e. Scottish “island”) and BLEW (i.e. “was windy”).

56. Injured capturing small wood (5)

Answer: HURST (i.e. a “wood” or grove. I had no idea. Interesting though. I guess that explains why some place names end in “hurst”). Solution is HURT (i.e. “injured”) wrapped around or “capturing” S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”), like so: HUR(S)T.

57. Defence for Boxing Day – smile and hug freely at first! (9)

Answer: GUMSHIELD (i.e. “defence for boxing” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “day”) with an anagram (indicated by “freely”) of SMILE and HUG placed before it or “at first”, like so: GUMSHIEL-D.

Down clues

1. Thick fog covers roof of dome (5)

Answer: MIDST (i.e. “thick” in noun form, as in the thick of it). Solution is MIST (i.e. “fog”) wrapped around or “covering” D (i.e. “roof of dome”, i.e. the first letter of “dome”), like so: MI(D)ST.

2. Idling adolescent mixed a cocktail (4,6,4,3)

Answer: LONG ISLAND ICED TEA (i.e. “cocktail”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “mixed”) of IDLING ADOLESCENT followed by A, like so: LONGISLANDICEDTE-A.

3. Lady fighting Society over an argument with country (11)

Answer: SWORDSWOMAN (i.e. “lady fighting”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “Society”) followed by WORDS (i.e. “an argument”) and OMAN (i.e. “country”).

4. Wearing new medal, bachelor strolled around (6)

Answer: AMBLED (i.e. “strolled around”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “new”) of MEDAL wrapped around or being “worn” by B (a recognised abbreviation of “bachelor”), like so: AM(B)LED.

5. Put out about relative, one who’s leaving (8)

Answer: EMIGRANT (i.e. “one who’s leaving”). Solution is EMIT (i.e. “put out”) wrapped “about” GRAN (i.e. “relative”), like so: EMI(GRAN)T.

6. Make a mess of eating complete box of synthetic sweet (12)

Answer: BUTTERSCOTCH (i.e. “sweet”). Solution is BOTCH (i.e. “make a mess of”) wrapped around or “eating” UTTER (i.e. “complete”) and SC (i.e. “box of synthetic”, i.e. the first and last letters of “synthetic”), like so: B(UTTER-SC)OTCH.

7. Deadline for shifting steel badly slipping (4-2,4)

Answer: SELL-BY DATE (i.e. “deadline for shifting” or selling perishable produce). “Slipping” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of STEEL BADLY.

8. Pick up my mistake with new piece of cutlery (5)

Answer: SPOON (i.e. “piece of cutlery”). Solution is OOPS! (i.e. “my mistake”) reversed (indicated by “pick up” – this being a down clue) and followed by N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: SPOO-N.

9. Forecasters got together and cancelled weather warning? (3,6)

Answer: MET OFFICE (i.e. “forecasters”). Solution is MET (i.e. “got together”) followed by OFF ICE (i.e. “cancelled weather warning”, playfully, but only if you really squint your eyes).

10. Monument’s lower fee fit for changing (6,5)

Answer: EIFFEL TOWER (i.e. “monument”). “For changing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of LOWER FEE FIT.

11. In secret, hum Prince hit (5)

Answer: THUMP (i.e. “hit”). “In” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: SECRE(T HUM P)RINCE.

12. Test quantity of oxygen? (1,5)

Answer: O LEVEL. Solution satisfies an education “test” of old, and, playfully, “quantity of oxygen” – O being the chemical symbol of oxygen.

18. Notice no women finally resist change (10)

Answer: ADJUSTMENT (i.e. “change”). Solution is AD (i.e. “notice”, short for advertisement) followed by JUST MEN (i.e. “no women”) and T (i.e. “finally resist”, i.e. the last letter of “resist”).

20. Disagreed with detective and FBI agent imprisoning upstanding whistle-blower (8)

Answer: DIFFERED (i.e. “disagreed with”). Solution is DI (i.e. “detective”, specifically a Detective Inspector) followed by FED (i.e. “FBI agent”, short for Federal Agent) once wrapped around or “imprisoning” REF (i.e. “whistle-blower”, a referee) once reversed (indicated by “upstanding” – this being a down clue), like so: DI-F(FER)ED.

22. Opposite church, outside smashed in patio? That’ll get people talking! (12,5)

Answer: CONVERSATION PIECE (i.e. “that’ll get people talking”). Solution is CONVERSE (i.e. “opposite”) and CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England) wrapped around or placed “outside” of an anagram (indicated by “smashed”) of IN PATIO, like so: CONVERS(ATIONPI)E-CE. Ugh, an even more recent repeat. Seriously, get a print copy of this Jumbo and go back two pages to the answers for grid 1588. You’ll see this solution sitting there too. For goodness sakes, setters, step away from the GridFill 4000™ once in a while, will you?

23. Compensated over this baby product (6)

Answer: DIAPER (i.e. “baby product” in the US, or a nappy here in the UK). Solution is REPAID (i.e. “compensated”) reversed (indicated by “over”). Simple, but nicely worked.

24. Fools, with son, intended to skip a test (10)

Answer: ASSESSMENT (i.e. “test”). Solution is ASSES (i.e. “fools”) followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) and MEANT (i.e. “intended”) once the A has been removed (indicated by “to skip a”), like so: ASSES-S-MENT.

27. Castle dog upset by minute exam (8)

Answer: BALMORAL (i.e. “castle”). Solution is LAB (i.e. “dog”, short for Labrador) reversed (indicated by “upset” – this being a down clue) and followed by M (a recognised abbreviation of “minute”), then ORAL (i.e. “exam”), like so: BAL-M-ORAL.

31. Trimming top of pearl on a piece of jewellery (6)

Answer: PARING (i.e. “trimming”). Solution is P (i.e. “top of pearl”, i.e. the first letter of “pearl”) followed by A, then RING (i.e. “piece of jewellery”).

32. Regular visitor hurrying primarily over paths to arrive on time? (7,5)

Answer: HALLEY’S COMET (i.e. a “regular visitor” swinging by these parts every 70-odd years. The last time was in 1986, interestingly mere months after Tobe Hooper’s movie Lifeforce was released. Am I saying Halley’s Comet is actually an alien spacecraft filled with improbably-naked space vampires? Who knows for sure, but you can’t entirely discount the possibility, can you?) Solution is H (i.e. “hurrying primarily”, i.e. the first letter of “hurrying”) followed by ALLEYS (i.e. “paths”), then COME (i.e. “to arrive”) and T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”).

34. Dispatched north of India, intellectual is nostalgic (11)

Answer: SENTIMENTAL (i.e. “nostalgic”). Solution is SENT (i.e. “dispatched”) followed by I (“India” in the phonetic alphabet”) and MENTAL (i.e. “intellectual”).

36. Peace offering playing havoc with Berlin (5,6)

Answer: OLIVE BRANCH (i.e. “peace offering”). “Playing” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HAVOC and BERLIN. Another nicely worked clue.

37. On good terms continually? Blimey! (4,1,5)

Answer: WELL I NEVER (i.e. “blimey”). When written as WELL-IN EVER the solution also playfully satisfies “on good terms continually”.

39. Heightened activity due to parking place (9)

Answer: OVERDRIVE (i.e. “heightened activity”). Solution is OVER (i.e. “due to”) followed by DRIVE (i.e. “parking place”).

41. Learner breaking in and fighting (8)

Answer: BATTLING (i.e. “fighting”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”, especially on L-plates) placed in or “breaking” BATTING (i.e. “in” in several ball games), like so: BATT(L)ING.

45. State of king heading an elite group (6)

Answer: KANSAS (i.e. US “state”). Solution is K (a recognised abbreviation of “king” used in chess) followed by AN and SAS (i.e. “elite group” of soldiers, the Special Air Service of the British Army).

46. Runs into European heading north to get treasure (6)

Answer: ESTEEM (i.e. to “treasure”). Solution is MEETS (i.e. “runs into”) and E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) all reversed (indicated by “heading north” – this being a down clue), like so: E-STEEM.

48. Key material alternatively found in plant? (5)

Answer: IVORY (i.e. “key material”, referring to the white keys of a piano. Interesting fact: the UK Ivory Act came into power in June 2022, meaning it is now illegal to trade anything that contains ivory. This means every time the BBC repeats Bargain Hunt or the Antiques Roadshow, they’ll have to blur out any ivory pieces and put black rectangles over the eyes of all involved. Even Fiona Bruce. And if they don’t then I’m going to give Points Of View a ruddy good writing-to, you just see if I don’t. Hmm. Looks like I’ve gone off on one again…) Solution is OR (i.e. “alternatively”) placed “in” IVY (i.e. “plant”), like so: IV(OR)Y.

49. Elizabeth erected church for nothing (5)

Answer: ZILCH (i.e. “nothing”). Solution is LIZ (shortened form of “Elizabeth”) reversed (indicated by “erected” – this being a down clue) and followed by CH (a recognised abbreviation of “church”), like so: ZIL-CH.

51. Correct the setter, in conclusion (5)

Answer: EMEND (i.e. to “correct”). Solution is ME (i.e. “the setter”, from the point of view of the setter) placed “in” END (i.e. “conclusion”), like so: E(ME)ND.

A medium strength Jumbo this week, and another I could happily chip away at during the day. A good ‘un, then. I might not have thought the same a couple of years ago, but I’m a little wiser now to some of the obscure stuff that crops up in these things.

You can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has got your goat then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of ’em.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. I’ll be away from the keyboard over Christmas but, all being well, I’ll be back before the New Year. Till then have a Merry Christmas, wrap up well and stay safe out there, kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 1.7%

Across clues

1. Fabric cut in back and put on view (6)

Answer: MOHAIR (i.e. “fabric” – can cover the goat hair or the material eventually made from it). Solution is HOME (i.e. “in”) with the last letter removed (indicated by “cut”) and the remainder reversed (indicated by “back”). This is then followed by AIR (i.e. “view”), like so: MOH-AIR.

5. Vase from Parma smashed outside little house (7)

Answer: AMPHORA (i.e. “vase”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “smashed”) of PARMA wrapped around or placed “outside” of HO (i.e. “little house”, i.e. a recognised abbreviation of “house”), like so: AMP(HO)RA.

9. Performance tribal leader captured initially in recording (3,5)

Answer: TAP DANCE (i.e. “performance”). Solution is DAN (i.e. “tribal leader”, referring to the Tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Took a while to remember this from a previous Jumbo) and C (i.e. “captured initially”, i.e. the first letter of “captured”) both placed “in” TAPE (i.e. “recording”), like so: TAP(DAN-C)E.

13. Individual in grotty aerodrome who contrived to be short-lived (4,5,4,8)

Answer: HERE TODAY GONE TOMORROW (i.e. “short-lived”, unlike Sir John Nott’s response to the line). Solution is ONE (i.e. “individual”) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “contrived”) of GROTTY AERODROME WHO, like so: HERETODAYG(ONE)TOMORROW.

14. Retired Hull partner’s holding tax for return (8)

Answer: EMERITUS (i.e. “retired”). Solution is EMU’S (i.e. “Hull partner’s”, referring to Rod Hull and Emu. I made a dig a few weeks ago about how popular culture for Times setters seemed to end in the 1970s. I take it all back) wrapped around or “holding” TIRE (i.e. to “tax” or burden upon) once reversed (indicated by “for return”), like so: EM(ERIT)U’S.

15. Love doctor, Nancy’s friend, modelling in paper (7)

Answer: ORIGAMI (i.e. “modelling in paper”). Solution is O (i.e. “love”, a zero score in tennis) followed by RIG (i.e. to “doctor” something) and AMI (i.e. “Nancy’s friend”, i.e. the French for “friend”; Nancy is a city in France).

16. Quarrel coming after fine for litter (6)

Answer: FARROW (i.e. a “litter” of pigs). Solution is ARROW (i.e. “quarrel” – a variant meaning is a square-headed arrow, apparently) placed “after” F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine” used in grading pencils), like so: F-ARROW.

17. Visits duke declined (4,2,4)

Answer: GOES TO SEED (i.e. “declined”). Solution is GOES TO SEE (i.e. “visits”) followed by D (a recognised abbreviation of “duke”).

20. Ridiculously lively press surrounding English or US icon (5,7)

Answer: ELVIS PRESLEY (i.e. “US icon”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “ridiculously”) of LIVELY PRESS wrapped around or “surrounding” E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”), like so: ELVISPR(E)SLEY.

23. Wine in a small container any number refused (4)

Answer: ASTI (i.e. “wine”). Solution is A followed by S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and TIN (i.e. “container”) once the N has been removed (indicated by “any number refused” – in maths, n is used to represent any number), like so: A-S-TI.

24. One active in small hours close to lough, drinking whiskey (5,3)

Answer: NIGHT OWL (i.e. “one active in small hours”). Solution is NIGH (i.e. “close”), TO and L (a recognised abbreviation of “lough”, loch or lake) wrapped around or “drinking” W (“whiskey” in the phonetic alphabet), like so: NIGH-TO-(W)-L.

26. Assess empty learner replacing academic at last (8)

Answer: EVALUATE (i.e. “assess”). Solution is EVACUATE (i.e. to “empty”) with L (a recognised abbreviation of “learner”, e.g. L-plates) “replacing” C (i.e. “academic at last”, i.e. the last letter of “academic”), like so: EVA(C)UATE => EVA(L)UATE.

29. Spice received by South American celebrity (6,6)

Answer: GINGER ROGERS (i.e. “American celebrity”). Solution is GINGER (i.e. “spice”) followed by ROGER (i.e. acknowledged or “received” in radio comms lingo) and S (a recognised abbreviation of “south”).

30. Opposition from MI6 on a new tax (10)

Answer: ANTITHESIS (i.e. “opposition”). Solution is SIS (i.e. “MI6”, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service) placed “on” or after A, N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”) and TITHE (i.e. “tax”), like so: (A-N-TITHE)-SIS.

32. CIA ensnaring fool, minor poet occasionally following stars (10)

Answer: CASSIOPEIA (i.e. “stars” or constellation). Solution is CIA wrapped around or “ensnaring” ASS (i.e. “fool”) and IOPE (i.e. “minor poet occasionally”, i.e. every other letter of MINOR POET), like so: C-(ASS-IOPE)IA. One nailed from the wordplay, unsurprisingly.

34. Eventually stop throat gland twitching – after one’s swallowed? (5,2,1,4)

Answer: GRIND TO A HALT (i.e. “eventually stop”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “twitching”) of THROAT GLAND once wrapped around or “swallowing” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: GR(I)NDTOAHALT.

36. Changes appearance of tyres given new tread (8)

Answer: REMOULDS. Solution satisfies “changes appearance” and “tyres given new tread”.

38. Conservative having to accept Liberal’s acting the fool (8)

Answer: CLOWNING (i.e. “acting the fool”). Solution is C (a recognised abbreviation of “Conservative”) and OWNING (i.e. “having”) all wrapped around or “accepting” L (a recognised abbreviation of “Liberal”), like so: C-(L)-OWNING.

39. Not seen: heard in fog (4)

Answer: MIST. Solution satisfies a homophone (indicated by “heard”) of MISSED (i.e. “not seen”), and also satisfies “fog”.

41. Story always having to go round for cheque’s intended recipient (7,5)

Answer: ACCOUNT PAYEE (i.e. “cheque’s intended recipient”). Solution is ACCOUNT (i.e. “story”) and AY (i.e. poetic form of “always”) once placed in or “having…round” PEE (i.e. “to go”), like so: ACCOUNT-P(AY)EE.

43. Avoidance, or non-appearance, to include time at home? (10)

Answer: ABSTINENCE (i.e. “avoidance”). Solution is ABSENCE (i.e. “non-appearance”) wrapped around or “including” T (a recognised abbreviation of “time”) and IN (i.e. “home”), like so: ABS(T-IN)ENCE.

44. Endlessly dreadful meat that makes change in Casablanca? (6)

Answer: DIRHAM (i.e. “change in Casablanca”, or Moroccan currency). Solution is DIRE (i.e. “dreadful”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”) and the remainder followed by HAM (i.e. “meat”), like so: DIR-HAM.

46. Egyptian god leaving horse outside pub with eastern bard (7)

Answer: ORPHEUS (i.e. “bard” of Greek myth). Solution is HORUS (i.e. “Egyptian god”) with the H removed (indicated by “leaving horse” – H and “horse” are both slang references to heroin) and the remainder placed “outside” of PH (i.e. “pub”, specifically Public House) and E (a recognised abbreviation of “eastern”), like so: OR(PH-E)US.

48. Important way alpha male does twirl wearing women’s clothes (4,4)

Answer: MAIN DRAG (i.e. “important way” or the main street of a town, mainly a US thing). Solution is A (“alpha” in the phonetic alphabet) and M (a recognised abbreviation of “male”) reversed (indicated by “does twirl”) and followed by IN DRAG (i.e. “wearing women’s clothes” within the context of the clue), like so: M-A-(IN-DRAG).

50. Easiest way Allies often organised underground fighters (4,2,5,10)

Answer: LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE (i.e. “easiest way”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “organised”) of ALLIES OFTEN followed by RESISTANCE (i.e. “underground fighters”).

51. Lock spring breaks to give uninvited access (8)

Answer: TRESPASS (i.e. “uninvited access”). Solution is TRESS (i.e. “lock” of hair) wrapped around or “broken” by SPA (i.e. water “spring”), like so: TRES(SPA)S.

52. On about knight buried in card player’s grave (7)

Answer: EARNEST (i.e. over-serious or “grave”). Solution is RE (i.e. “on” or regarding – think email replies) wrapped “about” N (a recognised abbreviation of “knight” used in chess) and the whole placed “in” EAST (i.e. “card player” in a game of bridge), like so: EA(R(N)E)ST.

53. Debauched son initially hooked on strong Levantine booze (6)

Answer: RAKISH (i.e. “debauched”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “son”) and H (i.e. “initially hooked”, i.e. the first letter of “hooked”) both placed “on” or after RAKI (i.e. “strong Levantine booze”), like so: (RAKI)-S-H.

Down clues

2. Celtic characters in hotel try rolls before noon (5)

Answer: OGHAM (i.e. “Celtic characters” or alphabet). Solution is H (“hotel” in the phonetic alphabet) and GO (i.e. attempt or “try”) all reversed (indicated by “rolls”) and followed by AM (i.e. “before noon”), like so: (OG-H)-AM. One remembered from a previous puzzle, if I’m honest.

3. Sailor in a hurry to accommodate Irish, improving image (11)

Answer: AIRBRUSHING (i.e. “improving image”). Solution is AB (i.e. “sailor”, specifically one of Able-Bodied rank) and RUSHING (i.e. “in a hurry”) all wrapped around or “accommodating” IR (a recognised abbreviation of “Irish”), like so: A(IR)B-RUSHING.

4. Run over by Hulot’s creator on cycle (8)

Answer: ROTATION (i.e. “cycle”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games), O (ditto “over”, this time in cricket), then Jacques TATI (i.e. “Hulot’s creator”) and ON.

5. Vikings heading down to the middle Peak District (5)

Answer: ANDES (i.e. “peak district” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is DANES (i.e. “Vikings”) with the D (its “heading”) placed “down to the middle”, like so: (D)ANES => AN(D)ES.

6. Board has power replacing leading trio in film industry (7)

Answer: PLYWOOD (i.e. “board”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “power”) “replacing” HOL (i.e. “leading trio in film industry”, i.e. the first three letters of HOLLYWOOD), like so: (HOL)LYWOOD => (P)LYWOOD.

7. Pleasant-smelling rose our Fido chewed (11)

Answer: ODORIFEROUS (i.e. “pleasant-smelling”). “Chewed” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of ROSE OUR FIDO.

8. Stories about sappers in scene of conflict (5)

Answer: ARENA (i.e. “scene of conflict”). Solution is ANA (i.e. “stories” – over to Chambers: “a collection of someone’s table talk or of gossip, literary anecdotes or possessions”. A useful one to keep in mind as it crops up from time to time in cryptic clues) wrapped “about” RE (i.e. “sappers”, in this case the Royal Engineers of the British Army), like so: A(RE)NA.

9. Disagreed also with a thousand children (4,5)

Answer: TOOK ISSUE (i.e. “disagreed”). Solution is TOO (i.e. “also”) followed by K (i.e. “a thousand”, short for “kilo”) and ISSUE (i.e. “children”).

10. Page covering mathematical sequence (5)

Answer: PROOF (i.e. “mathematical sequence” – oof, just had a flashback to A-level calculus. I could have done without that…) Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “page”) followed by ROOF (i.e. “covering”).

11. Surprise with ear affected when this changes? (3,8)

Answer: AIR PRESSURE. The solution satisfies the clue taken as a whole, but also comprises an anagram (indicated by “affected”) of SURPRISE and EAR.

12. Ranch hand from old west quietly immersed in drink (7)

Answer: COWPOKE (i.e. “ranch hand” over in the US). Solution is O (a recognised abbreviation of “old”), W (ditto “west”) and P (ditto-ish “quietly”, being “piano” in music lingo) all placed or “immersed in” COKE (i.e. “drink”), like so: C(O-W-P)OKE.

18. Stubborn stain to be treated (9)

Answer: OBSTINATE (i.e. “stubborn”). “Treated” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of STAIN TO BE.

19. Example chapter taken from long story book (7)

Answer: EPITOME (i.e. “example”). Solution is EPIC (i.e. “long story”) with the C (a recognised abbreviation of “chapter”) “taken away” and the remainder followed by TOME (i.e. “book”) like so: EPI-TOME.

21. Philistine victory over European initially reduced (9)

Answer: VULGARIAN (i.e. “philistine”). Solution is V (a recognised abbreviation of “victory”, e.g. in V-day; weirdly, Chambers doesn’t explicitly support V on its own for “victory”) followed by BULGARIAN (i.e. “European”) once its first letter has been removed (indicated by “initially reduced”), like so: V-ULGARIAN.

22. Editor’s job to conceal Democrat opposition to political change (8)

Answer: REACTION (i.e. “opposition to political change” – again, not explicitly supported by Chambers, but falls under a more general definition of “an action or change in an opposite direction”). Solution is REDACTION (i.e. “editor’s job”) with the D (a recognised abbreviation of “Democrat”) removed or “concealed”.

25. Superior-sounding structure unknown in priesthood (9)

Answer: HIERARCHY (i.e. “priesthood”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “sounding”) of HIGHER (i.e. “superior”) followed by ARCH (i.e. “structure”) and Y (i.e. “unknown” – setters love referring to X, Y or Z in clues as unknowns), like so: HIER-ARCH-Y.

27. Drink repercussions disheartened sleuth must accept (6,3)

Answer: TRIPLE SEC (i.e. “drink”). Solution is RIPPLES (i.e. “repercussions”) with the middle letter removed (indicated by “disheartened”) and the remainder placed in or “accepted” by TEC (i.e. “sleuth”, short for “detective”), like so: T(RIPLES)EC.

28. Bear left turning for city and borough there? (8)

Answer: BROOKLYN (i.e. “borough” of New York). Solution is BROOK (i.e. to “bear”) followed by L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) and NY (a recognised abbreviation of “New York”, the “city” in question) once the latter has been reversed (indicated by “turning”), like so: BROOK-L-YN.

31. News items Henry substituted with primitive thoughts (7)

Answer: TIDINGS (i.e. “news”). Solution is THINGS (i.e. “items”) with the H (a recognised abbreviation of “Henry”, a unit of measurement that’s proven popular of late among setters) “substituted with” ID (i.e. “primitive thoughts” in the realm of psychology), like so: T(H)INGS => T(ID)INGS.

33. Vote to have cards on display? (4,2,5)

Answer: SHOW OF HANDS. Solution satisfies “vote” and, playfully, “have [playing] cards on display”.

34. Board game – single punter to excel (2,3,6)

Answer: GO ONE BETTER (i.e. “to excel”). Solution is GO (i.e. “board game”) followed by ONE (i.e. “single”) and BETTER (i.e. “punter”).

35. Composer one carrying can ultimately appearing in Private Eye (11)

Answer: Engelbert HUMPERDINCK (i.e. “composer”). Solution is HUMPER (i.e. “one carrying”) followed by N (i.e. “can ultimately”, i.e. the last letter of “can”) once placed “in” DICK (i.e. “private eye” – ignore the misleading capitalisation, both are informal references to private investigators), like so: HUMPER-DI(N)CK.

37. Playwright parking in London area, indications centrally ignored (9)

Answer: SOPHOCLES (i.e. ancient Greek “playwright”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “parking” used in signage) placed “in” SOHO (i.e. “London area”) and followed by CLUES (i.e. “indications”) once its middle letter has been removed (indicated by “centrally ignored”), like so: SO(P)HO-CLES.

40. Left for Romans, most of Greek wine is revolting (8)

Answer: SINISTER (i.e. “left for Romans”, i.e. the Latin for “left”). Solution is RETSINA (i.e. “Greek wine”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “most of”) and the remainder followed by IS. The whole is then reversed (indicated by “revolting”, as in an uprising – this being a down clue), like so: SI-NISTER.

42. German poet loses head, seeing horror film (7)

Answer: CHILLER (i.e. “horror film”). Solution is Friedrich SCHILLER (i.e. “German poet”) with the first letter removed (indicated by “loses head”).

43. True: sea can be cold (7)

Answer: AUSTERE (i.e. “cold” and unforgiving). “Can be” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of TRUE SEA.

45. Low note in brass (5)

Answer: MOOLA (i.e. “brass”, both slang terms for money). Solution is MOO (i.e. “low”, or the noise a cow makes) followed by LA (a “note” in the sol-fa notation).

47. Silver penny no longer in circulation? (5)

Answer: PLATE (i.e. “silver”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “penny”) followed by LATE (i.e. deceased or “no longer in circulation”, playfully referencing one’s circulatory system).

48. First and second swapping places, getting damp (5)

Answer: MOIST (i.e. “damp”). Solution is IST (i.e. “first”, with the 1 replaced with its Roman numeral equivalent) and MO (i.e. “second”, short for a “moment”) “swapping places”, like so: MO-IST.

49. States not entirely hostile (5)

Answer: AVERS (i.e. “states”). Solution is AVERSE (i.e. “hostile”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “not entirely”).

A toughie after last week’s stinker, and seemingly one for the culture vultures. Despite the at-times aching worthiness of some of the clues and solutions, this was a pretty good Jumbo offering for the most part the kind of steady progression I like. Except for the bottom-middle (SHIFT KEY, ISTHMUS and AMNESTY). That bit was a swine.

You can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions where I have them. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has given you the slip then you might find my Just For Fun page of use, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks for the comments and help. It’s always interesting to hear the thoughts of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, wrap up well and stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 3.2%

Across clues

1. Left-leaning character supports corporal punishment (9)

Answer: BACKSLASH (i.e. “left-leaning character” on a keyboard). Solution is BACKS (i.e. “supports”) followed by LASH (i.e. “corporal punishment”).

6. Some of the French match that we hope to avoid (7)

Answer: DESPAIR (i.e. something “that we hope to avoid”). Solution is DES (i.e. “some of the French”, i.e. the word “some” in French) followed by PAIR (i.e. to “match”).

10. Start of first introduction in garden (still unchanged on reflection) (5)

Answer: MADAM. Clue plays on the famous palindrome MADAM I’M ADAM (playfully, what could be the “first introduction in [the] Garden” of Eden; Adam and Eve and all that Bible stuff) taking the “start” of it. The solution is itself a palindrome (hence the “still unchanged on reflection” bit).

13. Error by defence – rotting in gaol now (3,4)

Answer: OWN GOAL (i.e. “error by defence” in a game of football). “Rotting” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of GAOL NOW.

14. Second contest for Ali or Rocky, say (5)

Answer: MOVIE (i.e. “Ali or Rocky, say” – other boxing movies are available). Solution is MO (i.e. “second”, short for “moment”) followed by VIE (i.e. “contest”).

15. Hero, for example, meddles with heroine in Wessex (9)

Answer: PRINCESS (i.e. “Hero, for example”, referring to a character in William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing). [EDIT: Scratch that. I’d misread this one in the time between completing the grid and writing it up. The solution is PRIESTESS. In Greek mythology, she was a priestess of Aphrodite. Thanks to all in the comments for flagging this! – LP] Solution is PRIES (i.e. “meddles”) followed by TESS (i.e. “heroine in Wessex”, this time referring to the lead character in Thomas Hardy’s Tess Of The D’Urbervilles).

16. Shakespearean duo in scene of Romeo and Juliet (3,3,9,2,6)

Answer: THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (i.e. titular “Shakespearean duo”). “Romeo and Juliet”, meanwhile, is set in Verona, so I guess there’s a scene in the play between Romeo and some other bloke. Shakespeare tends to bring me out in a rash – blame it on a disastrous and fist-bitingly awful attempt to make us all read The Merchant of Venice at school – so I’ll leave this one at that.

17. Like voyage in storm (6)

Answer: ASSAIL (i.e. to attack or “storm”). Solution is AS (i.e. “like”) followed by SAIL (i.e. “voyage”).

18. French scorer’s side grabbing point in return (8)

Answer: Jules MASSENET (i.e. “French scorer” or composer). Solution is TEAM (i.e. “side”) wrapped around or “grabbing” NESS (i.e. “point”, both geographic features). The whole is then reversed (indicated by “in return”), like so: MA(SSEN)ET. One nailed from the wordplay.

19. Reform repeals act that made thing worse again (7)

Answer: RELAPSE (i.e. “that made thing worse again”). “Reform” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of REPEALS.

22. Old vehicle with new driver exposed as public nuisance (6,4)

Answer: LITTER LOUT (i.e. “public nuisance”). Solution is LITTER (i.e. “old vehicle”) followed by L (i.e. “new driver”, referring to L-plates), then OUT (i.e. “exposed”).

23. Info, including something to do with key and pitch for instrument (12)

Answer: GLOCKENSPIEL (i.e. “instrument”). Solution is GEN (i.e. “info”) wrapped around or “including” LOCK (i.e. “something to do with key”) and followed by SPIEL (i.e. “pitch”), like so: G(LOCK)EN-SPIEL.

27. Capital single person, we hear (5)

Answer: SEOUL (i.e. “capital” of South Korea). “We hear” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of SOLE (i.e. “single person”). Possibly SOUL. You could make an argument for either.

29. European’s in danger in that situation (7)

Answer: THEREAT (i.e. “in that situation”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “European”) placed “in” THREAT (i.e. “danger”), like so: TH(E)REAT.

30. Use prior not in order as head of religious house (8)

Answer: SUPERIOR (i.e. “head of religious house”). “Not in order” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of USE PRIOR.

32. With a single alteration, roomy? Not true (8)

Answer: SPECIOUS (i.e. “not true”). Solution is SPACIOUS (i.e. “roomy”) with “a single alteration”, in this case changing the A to an E, like so: SP(A)CIOUS => SP(E)CIOUS.

34. Tool prodigal female returned (7)

Answer: FRETSAW (i.e. “tool”). Solution is WASTER (i.e. “prodigal”) and F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) all reversed (indicated by “returned”), like so: F-RETSAW.

36. Face Republican in Georgia or Alabama, say (5)

Answer: FRONT (i.e. “face”). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “Republican”) placed “in” FONT (i.e. “Georgia or Alamaba, say” – other typefaces are available. That said, I had to Google Image search Alabama. Not a font I recognise. Maybe it’s a Mac thing), like so: F(R)ONT.

39. Force largely destroyed accommodation for journalists (5,7)

Answer: PRESS GALLERY (i.e. “accommodation for journalists”). Solution is PRESS (i.e. “force” or urge) followed by an anagram (indicated by “destroyed”) of LARGELY.

41. Finish after short day with vessel, something mates enjoy (10)

Answer: FRIENDSHIP (i.e. “something mates enjoy”). Solution is END (i.e. “finish”) placed “after” FRI (i.e. “short day”, in this case a short form of “Friday”) and followed by SHIP (i.e. “vessel”), like so: ((FRI)-END)-SHIP.

44. One that slips easily into operas performing dance (7)

Answer: REELING (i.e. “performing dance”). Solution is EEL (i.e. “one that slips easily”) placed “into” RING (i.e. “operas” – I’m not seeing anything deep into the definitions, so I’m assuming the setter is referring to Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle here. Is RING on its own enough, though?), like so: R(EEL)ING.

46. It’ll transform us into a superpower (5,3)

Answer: SHIFT KEY. Clue plays on how one could use a shift key on a keyboard to “transform” “us” into the upper-case “US” (i.e. “a superpower”, specifically the United States).

48. Person taking a lot of interest in you, reportedly less unreliable (6)

Answer: USURER (i.e. “person taking a lot of interest”). Solution is a homophone (indicated by “reportedly”) of U (i.e. “you”) followed by SURER (i.e. “less unreliable”).

50. Toast for campers with goals, virtually (2,3,7,3,8)

Answer: TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES (i.e. “virtually”). Solution is TO ALL IN TENTS (i.e. “toast for campers”) followed by AND (i.e. “with”) and PURPOSES (i.e. “goals”).

53. Church’s assent required before one joins services (9)

Answer: AMENITIES (i.e. “services”). Solution is AMEN (i.e. “church’s assent”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and TIES (i.e. “joins”).

54. Feature of poetry when recited – it’s read (5)

Answer: METER (i.e. “it’s read”). “When recited” indicates homophone. Solution is a homophone of METRE (i.e. “feature of poetry”).

55. Heard I’m a highflier, with different stress? Not a pretty sight (7)

Answer: EYESORE (i.e. “not a pretty sight”). “Heard” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of I and SOAR (i.e. “I’m a highflier”). “With different stress” leaves me cold. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no way of saying I SOAR without also saying EYESORE. Could be a tense thing. It might yet be a phonological thing, but after my swing-and-a-miss in this area last week I’m leaving this part well alone!

56. Relating to part of limb or part of organ (5)

Answer: PEDAL. Solution satisfies “relating to part of limb” in this case the foot, and “part of organ”, the musical instrument.

57. Free home featured in fourth of March issue (7)

Answer: AMNESTY (i.e. “free”). Solution is NEST (i.e. “home”) placed or “featured in” AMY (i.e. “fourth of March issue”, a reference to the character Amy March in Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women, Amy being the youngest of the four March sisters), like so: AM(NEST)Y.

58. Newcomer to society replacing front of clothing that’s exclusive (9)

Answer: DEBARMENT (i.e. “exclusive”, or the act of exclusion). Solution is DEB (i.e. “newcomer to society”, short for “debutante”) which “replaces” the first letter or “front” of GARMENT (i.e. “clothing”), like so: (G)ARMENT => (DEB)ARMENT.

Down clues

1. Cure a disease of livestock (5)

Answer: BLOAT. Solution satisfies to “cure” or dry fish, and a “disease of livestock”.

2. Focus of discussion, changing clothes at announcement of truce (12,5)

Answer: CONVERSATION PIECE (i.e. “focus of discussion”). Solution is CONVERSION (i.e. “changing”) wrapped around or “clothing” AT and followed by a homophone (indicated by “announcement of”) of PEACE (i.e. “truce”), like so: CONVERS(AT)ION-PIECE.

3. Ring is in news, with awfully “woke” princess (4,5)

Answer: SNOW WHITE (i.e. “’woke’ princess”, referring to how in the fairy tale she is brought out from her poisoned-apple-induced slumber by Prince Charming). Solution is O (i.e. “ring”) placed “in” an anagram (indicated by “awfully”) of NEWS WITH, like so: SN(O)WWHITE.

4. Flip two parts of legal point, making claim (6)

Answer: ALLEGE (i.e. “claim”). Solution is LEGAL with the last “two” letters or “parts” “flipped” to the front and the whole then followed by E (i.e. “point” of the compass, short for “east”), like so: LEG(AL)-E => (AL)LEG-E.

5. German writer with a short act kept in shade: influence on our acting (5,6)

Answer: HUMAN NATURE (i.e. “influence on our acting”). Solution is Thomas MANN (i.e. “German writer”), A and TURN (i.e. “act”) once the latter’s last letter has been removed (indicated by “short”). This is all then placed “in” HUE (i.e. “shade”), like so: HU(MANN-A-TUR)E.

6. Indeed, evil is hidden herein (8)

Answer: DEVILISH. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but “herein” also indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: INDEE(D EVIL IS H)IDDEN.

7. Angler letting first two go, in general (7)

Answer: William SHERMAN (i.e. famed “general” of the US Civil War). Solution is FISHERMAN (i.e. “angler”) with the “first two” letters removed or “gone”.

8. Climber’s helpers in Nepal mishandled punishing situation (11)

Answer: ALPENSTOCKS (i.e. “climber’s helpers” – over to Chambers: “a mountain traveller’s long spiked staff”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “mishandled”) of NEPAL followed by STOCKS (i.e. “punishing situation”), like so: ALPEN-STOCKS. One nailed with a little help from my Chambers.

9. Check behind church’s buttress (9)

Answer: REINFORCE (i.e. “buttress”). Solution is REIN (i.e. to “check” or restrict) followed by FOR (i.e. “behind” or in favour of) and CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England).

10. Married ladies stirred up trouble for people holding hands (7)

Answer: MISDEAL (i.e. “trouble for people holding hands” of cards). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “married”) followed by an anagram (indicated by “stirred up”) of LADIES, like so: M-ISDEAL.

11. Because of work one can’t perform, nothing ensues (3,2)

Answer: DUE TO (i.e. “because of”). Solution is DUET (i.e. “work one can’t perform”) followed by O (i.e. “nothing”). Very nicely played.

12. In error, not clear about broken ankle (10)

Answer: MISTAKENLY (i.e. “in error”). Solution is MISTY (i.e. “not clear”) wrapped “about” an anagram (indicated by “broken”) of ANKLE, like so: MIST(AKENL)Y.

17. Finally cut world record? (5)

Answer: ATLAS (i.e. “world record”, playfully). Solution is AT LAST (i.e. “finally”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “cut”), like so: AT-LAS.

20. False prophet – he is no loss as maker of miraculous conversions? (12,5)

Answer: PHILOSOPHERS STONE (i.e. “maker of miraculous conversions”; legend had it the thing could convert metals into gold). “False” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of PROPHET HE IS NO LOSS.

21. Part of job lot – tomatoes, canned or pickled (6)

Answer: BLOTTO (i.e. “canned or pickled”, all slang words for “drunk”). “Part of” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: JO(B LOT TO)MATOES.

24. Coffee – third of morning, or second (6)

Answer: LATTER (i.e. the “second” of two things). Solution is LATTE (i.e. “coffee”) followed by R (i.e. “third [letter] of morning”).

25. Refinement of character is inspiring when taken up (5)

Answer: SERIF (i.e. “refinement of character”, referring to the decorative feet stuck on the ends of characters in some typefaces). Solution is FIRES (i.e. “is inspiring”, as in firing someone up) reversed (indicated by “taken up” – this being a down clue).

26. One of the herd, person needing will to succeed without extra teaching (6)

Answer: HEIFER (i.e. “one of the herd”, a young cow). Solution is HEIR (i.e. “person needing will to succeed”) wrapped around or placed “without” FE (i.e. “extra teaching”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of Further Education), like so: HEI(FE)R.

28. Danger to crops when temperature’s dropped in place (5)

Answer: LOCUS (i.e. “place”). Solution is LOCUST (i.e. “danger to crops”) with the T removed (indicated by “when temperature’s dropped” – T being a recognised abbreviation of “temperature”).

31. Cosmetic daughter kept in cube, for example (6)

Answer: POWDER (i.e. “cosmetic”). Solution is D (a recognised abbreviation of “daughter”) placed “in” POWER (i.e. “cube, for example”, being a number to the power of 3), like so: POW(D)ER.

33. Representative having small drinks for each boy (11)

Answer: SALESPERSON (i.e. “representative”). Solution is S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) followed by ALES (i.e. “drinks”), then PER (i.e. “for each”) and SON (i.e. “boy”).

35. Conceded blunder when upset in split (11)

Answer: SURRENDERED (i.e. “conceded”). Solution is ERR (i.e. “blunder”) reversed (indicated by “when upset” – this being a down clue) and placed “in” SUNDERED (i.e. “split”), like so: SU(RRE)NDERED.

37. Nocturnal mammal I caught in diabolical trap (5)

Answer: TAPIR (i.e. “nocturnal mammal”). Solution is I placed or “caught in” an anagram (indicated by “diabolical”) of TRAP, like so: TAP(I)R.

38. It illuminates page after page in terrible mistrial (6,4)

Answer: SPIRIT LAMP (i.e. “it illuminates”). Solution is P (a recognised abbreviation of “page”) placed “after” P (ditto) once it has been put “in” an anagram (indicated by “terrible”) of MISTRIAL, like so: S(P)IRITLAM-P.

40. Run into spy in a foreign country (9)

Answer: ARGENTINA (i.e. “foreign country” – unless you’re reading this in Argentina, of course). Solution is R (a recognised abbreviation of “run” used in a number of ball games) placed “into” AGENT (i.e. “spy”) and followed by IN A, like so: A(R)GENT-IN-A.

42. Since I had turned up, pianos and organ fade away (9)

Answer: DISAPPEAR (i.e. “fade away”). Solution is AS (i.e. “since”) and I’D (a contraction of “I had”) all reversed (indicated by “turned up” – this being a down clue). This is then followed by P and P (“pianos” – P being a recognised abbreviation of “piano” used in musical lingo), and EAR (i.e. “organ”), like so: (D’I-SA)-PP-EAR.

43. Bargain with what used to be your secret (8)

Answer: STEALTHY (i.e. “secret”). Solution is STEAL (i.e. “bargain”, as in something being an absolute steal) followed by THY (i.e. “what used to be your”, i.e. ye olde form of “your”).

45. Start of my statement of intent repeated after woman’s animosity (3,4)

Answer: ILL WILL (i.e. “animosity”). Solution is I’LL (i.e. “start of my statement of intent”, a contraction of I WILL) which is “repeated” after W (a recognised abbreviation of “woman”), like so: I’LL-(W)-I’LL.

47. Ideology so affected by mass movement in Panama, say (7)

Answer: ISTHMUS (i.e. “Panama, say” – an isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger bodies of land. Panama is situated on the isthmus between North and South America). Solution is ISM (i.e. “ideology”) and THUS (i.e. “so”) once the M (a recognised abbreviation of “mass”) has been “moved”, like so: IS(M)-THUS => IS-TH(M)US.

49. Magnificent, this owl watched by millions in US? (6)

Answer: SUPERB (i.e. “magnificent”). Clue plays on SUPERBOWL (i.e. a sporting event “watched by millions in US”) being written as SUPERB “OWL”, getting you the “this” of the clue. Interesting wordplay.

51. A point each, otherwise leading (5)

Answer: AHEAD. A triple-header, I believe, satisfying “a point” when written as A HEAD, “each” again when written as “A HEAD” and “leading” when written as AHEAD.

52. Fish detected under bridge? (5)

Answer: SMELT (i.e. a kind of “fish”). The remainder of the clue plays on the solution being the past tense of SMELL, and the “bridge” being part of one’s nose.

Stinker time! This wasn’t among the best – there were a few repeats and one too many made-to-fit solutions for my liking – but a generous helping of excellent clueing made up for a lot of this.

You can find my completed grid below along with explanations of my solutions. I hope you find them helpful. If a recent Jumbo has given you night sweats then you might find succour in my Just For Fun page, where you’ll find links to solutions for hundreds of the things.

Thanks again for the kind words and input. It’s always interesting to hear the opinions of other solvers once they’ve set down their pens. Till next time, stay safe out there kids.

LP

FBV (French-By-Volume): 5%

(With thanks to Mick Scott in the comments for fixing 51a)

Across clues

1. Vexed question, so one you’ll address yourself? (9)

Answer: SOLILOQUY (i.e. “address yourself” or the act of talking to oneself). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “vexed”) of Q (a recognised abbreviation of “question”), SO, I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) and YOU’LL.

6. Man with the minimum required to make it (8,5)

Answer: SKELETON STAFF. Solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but also plays on the verb form of “man” being to “staff” an organisation. That’s about it, I guess, unless I’m missing something clever.

13. A red or white mark intended to deceive (5)

Answer: MACON (i.e. “a red or white” wine). Solution is M (a recognised abbreviation of “mark”, the former German currency) and A CON (that which is “intended to receive”).

14. Preserving substance of books ten and eleven penned by a poet (abridged) (11)

Answer: ANTIOXIDANT (i.e. “preserving substance”). Solution is NT (i.e. “books”, specifically the New Testament of The Bible), IO (i.e. “ten”, as in the resemblance of the letters to the number 10), XI (i.e. “eleven” expressed in Roman numerals) all placed in or “penned by” A and DANTE Alighieri (i.e. “poet”) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “abridged”), like so: A-(NT-IO-XI)-DANT.

15. Western moral theory oddly dismissed (5)

Answer: OATER (i.e. “western”, a US slang word apparently). “Oddly dismissed” indicates the solution is derived from every other letter of MORAL THEORY.

16. Farm worker unexpectedly passes empty sheds here (11)

Answer: SHEPHERDESS (i.e. “farm worker”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “unexpectedly”) of PS (i.e. “passes empty”, i.e. the word “passes” with all its middle letters removed) and SHEDS HERE.

17. Staggered start by journalist, very slow at first (11)

Answer: DUMBFOUNDED (i.e. “staggered”). Solution is FOUND (i.e. to “start”, e.g. a company) and ED (i.e. “journalist”, short for editor) with DUMB (i.e. “very slow” on the uptake) placed “at first”, like so: DUMB-(FOUND-ED).

18. One thus about to flee from a certain belief (7)

Answer: ISLAMIC (i.e. “from a certain belief”). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”) followed by SIC (i.e. “thus” in Latin) once wrapped “about” LAM (i.e. “to flee”), like so: I-S(LAM)IC.

20. Special buckets perhaps for wrenches (7)

Answer: SPRAINS (i.e. “wrenches”). Solution is SP (a recognised abbreviation of “special”) followed by RAINS (i.e. “buckets”).

21. Hotel axes description of some compounds (7)

Answer: HYDROXY (i.e. “description of some compounds”). Solution is HYDRO (i.e. “hotel”, short for hydropathic establishment: “a hotel (with special baths etc, and often situated near a spa) where guests can have hydropathic treatment” (Chambers)) followed by X and Y (both “axes” of a graph).

23. To prepare for major conflict, he’d flog water pistols, ridiculously (3,4,3,4,2,3)

Answer: LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR (i.e. “to prepare for major conflict”, in this case a quote from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar). “Ridiculously” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of HE’D FLOG WATER PISTOLS.

27. Supporter with cups boasting endlessly (3)

Answer: BRA (i.e. “supporter with cups”). Solution is BRAG (i.e. “boasting”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “endlessly”).

28. Pet in need of attention, cast to the margins (6)

Answer: DEARIE (i.e. “pet”, both terms of endearment). Solution is EAR (i.e. “attention”) with DIE (i.e. a “cast” or stamp) wrapped around it or placed “to the margins”, like so: D(EAR)IE.

29. Sound amplifier leaves: very quiet without it! (6)

Answer: PREAMP (i.e. “sound amplifier” – a little disappointing the indicator is rather similar to the solution, but I guess there was no better way of phrasing it). Solution is REAM (i.e. “leaves” of paper) with PP (i.e. “very quiet”, or a recognised abbreviation of pianissimo in musical lingo) wrapped around or placed “without it”, like so: P(REAM)P.

31. Good bread to have with wine – fancy, and white? (9)

Answer: GHOSTLIKE (i.e. “white”). Solution is G (a recognised abbreviation of “good”) followed by HOST (i.e. “bread to have with wine” during the Eucharist) and LIKE (i.e. “fancy”).

34. Paddy with a note for Clement (9)

Answer: TEMPERATE (i.e. “clement” – ignore the misleading capitalisation). Solution is TEMPER (i.e. “paddy”) followed by A and TE (i.e. “note” in the sol-fa notation, i.e. doh-ray-me etc).

35. What’s essential to take to neutralise chemical substance (6)

Answer: KETONE (i.e. “chemical substance”). “What’s essential to” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, like so: TA(KE TO NE)UTRALISE.

36. Alive? No colder (6)

Answer: ASWARM (i.e. “alive” with activity). When written as AS WARM the solution also satisfies “no colder”, comparatively speaking.

39. Doctor has tip for Aunt Sally (3)

Answer: MOT (i.e. “sally”, both witty remarks or retorts). Solution is MO (i.e. “doctor” or Medical Officer) followed by T (i.e. “tip for Aunt”, i.e. the last letter of “Aunt”. I’m rarely a fan of this wordplay. How often do you call the back end of something the “tip”?). There are numerous variant meanings of MOT, it seems, but the one in play here is from the French, so you know what that means…

40. PM passing on work (5,2,3,9)

Answer: DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON (i.e. a “work”, in this case a non-fiction book by Ernest Hemingway). Clue plays on “PM” referring to THE AFTERNOON and “passing” being another word for DEATH.

42. Pressure to pursue key for return of property once (7)

Answer: ESCHEAT (i.e. “return of property once” – over to Chambers: “property that falls to the feudal lord or to the state for lack of an heir or by forfeiture”). Solution is HEAT (i.e. “pressure”) placed after or “pursuing” ESC (i.e. “key”, specifically the Escape key of a computer keyboard), like so: ESC-HEAT. One remembered from a previous puzzle, if I’m honest.

43. Help a councillor with a backward rural region (7)

Answer: ARCADIA (i.e. “rural region” of Greece). Solution is AID (i.e. “help”), A, CR (a recognised abbreviation of “councillor”) and A (again), all reversed (indicated by “backward”), like so: A-RC-A-DIA.

45. Upright and sensible, chasing ambition (7)

Answer: ENDWISE (i.e. “upright”). Solution is WISE (i.e. “sensible”) placed after or “chasing” END (i.e. aim or “ambition”), like so: END-WISE.

47. Shops conveniently situated by one: small row (11)

Answer: PATISSERIES (i.e. cake “shops”). Solution is PAT (i.e. “conveniently”) followed by I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), then S (a recognised abbreviation of “small”) and SERIES (i.e. “row”). “Hmm, do we have sufficient patisseries here in Blighty to avoid another French meme?” Mr Poll 1-acrosses. To meme or not to meme; to meme or… Wait. Didn’t Patisserie Valerie shut down their shop in Norwich? That settles it.

49. An appetiser and an inspiration: it hurts, to be without that (5-6)

Answer: AMUSE-BOUCHE (i.e. “an appetiser”). Solution is A MUSE (i.e. “an inspiration”) followed by OUCH (i.e. “it hurts”) once placed in or having “without” BE, like so: A-MUSE-B(OUCH)E. Mon dieu! Here we go again!

51. Finish best at regatta, perhaps, or almost (5)

Answer: OUTDO (i.e. “finish best”). Solution is OUTDOOR (i.e. “at regatta, perhaps” – other outdoor sporting events are available) with the last couple of letters removed (indicated by “almost”). Another minor gripe of mine is when trim indicators are used to remove multiple end-letters. It’s legitimate, granted, but can make it harder to work forwards from a clue than it would be working backwards from a possible solution.

[EDIT: Scratch that. Thanks to Mick Scott in the comments for providing a better answer, being OUTRO (i.e. a “finish” to, say, a musical piece). Solution is OUTROW (i.e. “best at regatta, perhaps”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “or almost”). Cheers, Mick! – LP]

52. Dull, if hot, and fine – a curiously predictable spring (3,8)

Answer: OLD FAITHFUL (i.e. “predictable spring” in Yellowstone National Park in the United States). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “curiously”) of DULL IF HOT, F (a recognised abbreviation of “fine” used in grading pencils) and A.

53. Bill’s father maintaining position (5)

Answer: FLIER (i.e. “bill”, also spelled flyer). Solution is FR (a recognised abbreviation of the title “Father”) wrapped around or “maintaining” LIE (i.e. “position”), like so: F(LIE)R.

54. Daniel and Nathaniel do make one, however not Gwen and Jen (8,5)

Answer: FEMININE RHYME, apparently. Chambers has this: “a two-syllable rhyme, the second syllable being unstressed”. A cursory search on Google turns up examples like “ocean and motion” or “measles and weasels”. Coming back to the clue, I guess the setter is playfully referring to how the male names quoted satisfy the solution, while, ironically, the female names quoted do not. Trouble is “Nathaniel” is three syllables, no matter how you say it. Can’t say I’ve heard of feminine rhymes before, so I can’t crow too much, but this feels like a goof all the same.

55. Layer of rocks, to the left near large plant (5,4)

Answer: ROYAL FERN (i.e. “large plant”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “rocks”) of LAYER OF followed by NR (a recognised abbreviation of “near”) once reversed (indicated by “to the left” – this being an across clue), like so: ROYALFE-RN.

Down clues

1. Houses rendered late, as workers not fully trained? (11)

Answer: SEMISKILLED (i.e. “as workers not fully trained”). Solution is SEMIS (i.e. “houses”, short for semi-detached) followed by KILLED (i.e. “rendered late” – late being another word for “deceased”).

2. Briefly need hot drink and litre of milk (7)

Answer: LACTEAL (i.e. “of milk”). Solution is LACK (i.e. “need”) with its last letter removed (indicated by “briefly”) and the remainder followed by TEA (i.e. “hot drink”) and L (a recognised abbreviation of “litre”), like so: LAC-TEA-L.

3. Some fare well, uncharacteristically, after downsizing (5)

Answer: LUNCH (i.e. “some fare”). “After downsizing” indicates the solution has been hidden in the clue, removing the outer letters of WEL(L UNCH)ARACTERISTICALLY.

4. One extending leg, taking bike, tears around church (10)

Answer: QUADRICEPS (i.e. a muscle, specifically “one extending leg”). Solution is QUAD (i.e. “bike”) followed by RIPS (i.e. “tears”) once wrapped “around” CE (i.e. “church”, specifically the Church of England), like so: QUAD-RI(CE)PS.

5. Star, yet to explode, releases gas (7)

Answer: YATTERS (i.e. “releases gas” or talks a lot). “To explode” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of STAR YET.

6. Charity event: boy very evidently embarrassed when pennies collected go missing (9,4)

Answer: SPONSORED WALK (i.e. “charity event”). Solution is SON (i.e. “boy”) and SO RED (i.e. “very evidently embarrassed”) all wrapped around or “collecting” P (i.e. “pennies”, short for “pence”). This is all then followed by WALK (i.e. “go missing”), like so: (S(P)ON-SO-RED)-WALK.

7. After revolution, survive murder and onset of great wickedness (9)

Answer: EVILDOING (i.e. “wickedness”). Solution is LIVE (i.e. “survive”) reversed (indicated by “after revolution”) and followed by DO IN (i.e. “murder”), then G (i.e. “onset of great”, i.e. the first letter of “great”), like so: EVIL-DO-IN-G.

8. Old scholar featuring in The Times letters (7)

Answer: Desiderius ERASMUS Roterodamus (i.e. “old scholar”). Solution is ERAS (i.e. “the times” – ignore the misleading caps and italics) followed by MUS (i.e. “letters”, specifically the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet made plural).

9. With fuel exhausted, article locked in safe (3,2,3,4)

Answer: OUT OF THE WOOD (i.e. “safe” – both “wood” and “woods” in the phrase are recognised). Solution is OUT OF WOOD (i.e. “with fuel exhausted”) wrapped around or “locking in” THE (i.e. “article”, being a word like a, an or the), like so: OUT-OF-(THE)-WOOD.

10. Flood that’s to be expected, one may hear? (4,5)

Answer: SNOW UNDER (i.e. to “flood”). “One may hear” indicates homophone. Solution comprises homophones of [THAT]‘S NO WONDER (i.e. “that’s to be expected”).

11. Did something about rearing delinquent youth (5)

Answer: ACTED (i.e. “did something”). Solution is CA (i.e. “about”, specifically a recognised abbreviation of “circa”) reversed (indicated by “rearing” – this being a down clue) and followed by TED (i.e. “delinquent youth” of the 60s, short for a Teddy Boy), like so: AC-TED.

12. Female with a light cape in a storm finding protection against lightning (7,4)

Answer: FARADAY CAGE (i.e. “protection against lightning”). Solution is F (a recognised abbreviation of “female”) followed by A, DAY (i.e. “light” time) and C (a recognised abbreviation of “cape”, the geographic feature) once all placed “in” A RAGE (i.e. “a storm”), like so: F-A-R(A-DAY-C)AGE.

19. Complaint he conveys when entertaining one (7)

Answer: MALAISE (i.e. “complaint”). Solution is MALE (i.e. “he”) wrapped around or “conveying” AS (i.e. “when”) once this has itself been wrapped around or “entertaining” I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), like so: MAL(A(I)S)E.

22. Essential to play one close to All Blacks in NZ region, on reflection (9)

Answer: OBBLIGATO (i.e. “essential to play” in music lingo). Solution is I (i.e. “[Roman numeral] one”), L (i.e. “close to All”, i.e. the last letter of “All”) and B and B (i.e. both “blacks” – B being a recognised abbreviation of “black” used in chess) all placed “in” OTAGO (i.e. “NZ region”). This is all reversed, like so: O(BB-L-I)GATO. I’m surprised setters are still finding new ways to clue this solution considering how often variant forms of it appear in Jumbos. Third time this year, ed. Just saying.

24. A cut arm: it might turn out so? (9)

Answer: TRAUMATIC. The solution satisfies the clue as a whole, but is also an anagram (indicated by “might turn out so”) of A CUT ARM IT.

25. Ultimately tough, a type of rugby mostly representative of E Wales town (7)

Answer: HARLECH (i.e. “Wales town”). Solution is H (i.e. “ultimately tough”, i.e. the last letter of “tough”) followed by A, then RL (i.e. “type of rugby”, in this case Rugby League), then ECHO (i.e. “representative of E” in the phonetic alphabet) once its last letter has been removed (indicated by “mostly”), like so: H-A-RL-ECH. If you hadn’t heard of it, don’t worry. You weren’t alone. Its population was 1,447 at the last count. Put another way, you could put 50 Harlech’s in the Millennium Stadium. Its castle was supposedly the site of a seven-year siege during the Wars of the Roses, which the setter will probably claim qualifies its entry in this Jumbo. I’m sure it’s a lovely place to live and visit too, but this is made-to-fit rubbish pure and simple.

26. Yellow strip lined with new sort of material (7)

Answer: ORGANZA (i.e. “sort of material”). Solution is OR (i.e. “yellow” or gold in heraldry) followed by GAZA (i.e. “strip”, housing around 2m Palestinians) once wrapped around or “lined with” N (a recognised abbreviation of “new”), like so: OR-GA(N)ZA.

30. Wound that bled, etc, after constant fighting (7,6)

Answer: PITCHED BATTLE (i.e. “constant fighting”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “wound”) of THAT BLED ETC placed “after” PI (i.e. a mathematical “constant”), like so: PI-TCHEDBATTLE.

32. Rested up before dawn of day, stunned (7)

Answer: TASERED (i.e. “stunned” by a taser, a device delivering an electric shock to its target). Solution is SAT (i.e. “rested”) reversed (indicated by “up” – this being a down clue) followed by ERE (poetic form of “before”) and D (i.e. “dawn of day”, i.e. the first letter of “day”), like so: TAS-ERE-D.

33. Gesture in vain, indicating place to park the Rover? (3,2,3,4)

Answer: BAY AT THE MOON. Solution satisfies “gesture in vain” and, playfully, “place to park the [Lunar] Rover”. A very similar version of this appeared a few months ago in grid 1556, also a stinker. I hope the same setter wasn’t behind both, otherwise that’d be a bit rubbish.

34. Finally got confession from American culprit, covering against theft? (6-5)

Answer: TAMPER-PROOF (i.e. “against theft”). Solution is T (i.e. “finally got”, i.e. the last letter of “got”) followed by AM PERP (i.e. “confession from American culprit”) and ROOF (i.e. “covering”).

37. European national entering sneakily, a day earlier (11)

Answer: MONTENEGRIN (i.e. “European national”). Solution is an anagram (indicated by “sneakily”) of ENTERING placed after or having “earlier” MON (i.e. “a day”, in this case a short form of Monday), like so: MON-TENEGRIN.

38. English friend outside, present in spirit? (10)

Answer: ETHEREALLY (i.e. “in spirit”). Solution is E (a recognised abbreviation of “English”) and ALLY (i.e. “friend”) all wrapped around or placed “outside” of THERE (i.e. being “present”), like so: E-(THERE)-ALLY.

40. Be not quite as smart in rebuke (5,4)

Answer: DRESS DOWN. Solution satisfies “be not quite as smart” and “rebuke”.

41. Means to use scenery, as ordered (9)

Answer: NECESSARY (i.e. “means”, both referencing money). “As ordered” indicates anagram. Solution is an anagram of SCENERY AS.

43. Indian manager taking a 34 across a river (7)

Answer: AMILDAR (i.e. “Indian manager” – a new one on me). Solution is A followed by MILD (i.e. “34 across” – the solution to this is TEMPERATE), then A and R (a recognised abbreviation of “river”). Another made-to-fit solution.

44. Rock formation shaking, but with vibration removed (7)

Answer: AQUIFER (i.e. “rock formation” bearing water). Not 100% on this one. I guess the setter is transforming AQUIVER (i.e. “shaking”) to AQUIFER, but I don’t see how changing V to F is “with vibration removed”. My Chambers doesn’t offer many recognised abbreviations of V or F that would fit the bill. “Removed”, on the other hand, could suggest we’re removing something from an existing word to get AQUIFER, but nothing is sparking. If anyone swings by with the solution to this one then I’ll update the post.

[EDIT: A big thank you to Sue in the comments for clearing this one up. It seems the setter is playing phonological games here, in how the V of AQUIVER is a voiced consonant and how the F of AQUIFER is a voiceless consonant, the difference in pronunciation between the two being the vibration applied by the lower lip against the teeth. So “with vibration removed” gets you from V to F in the clue. Good grief, setter. Don’t play that one again! Cheers Sue! – LP]

46. Maybe italicise letters following US company policy (7)

Answer: INCLINE (i.e. “maybe italicise letters”). Solution is INC (i.e. “US company”, short for Incorporated) followed by LINE (i.e. “policy”).

48. Symbol depicting bear trampling maiden (5)

Answer: TOTEM (i.e. “symbol”). Solution is TOTE (i.e. to “bear”) followed by M (a recognised abbreviation of “maiden” used in cricket).

50. Rubbish left by old earth excavator (5)

Answer: OFFAL (i.e. “rubbish”). Solution is L (a recognised abbreviation of “left”) placed after or “by” King OFFA of Mercia (i.e. “old earth excavator”, referring to Offa’s Dyke), like so: OFFA-L.